Coin lock



March I4, 1939 wUNDERLlCH 2,150,705

COIN LOCK Filed May 11, 1957 Patented Mar. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention is an improvement in coin locks, and relates moreparticularly to devices of this character in which mechanism operated byone coin placed in the lock obstructs or prevents the 5 insertion of asubsequent coin until a predetermined cycle of operation of the lock hasbeen performed.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a coin lock of simpleconstruction which is especially suitable for use on toilet doors andwhich when charged with a coin will permit the door to be opened andwill not receive another coin until the lock is released from theinside.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coin lock of thischaracter which is positive in operation and which is operable only byinserting one coin therein during each complete cycle of use.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become more apparentfrom the following description of one embodiment thereof, referencebeing made to the accompanying drawing in which like referencecharacters are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a coin lock mechanism embodying myinvention, and shows the relative positions of certain of the parts whena coin is first placed in the lock. 1

Figure 2 is a view looking in the direction of line 2-2 of Figure 1, andshows some of the lock casing in section. V

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, and shows the secondstep in the operation of the lock, that is, when the outer knob isrotated to unlock the door.

Figure 4 is another similar view of the parts in their relativepositions at the completion of the third step in operating the look. Inthis view the bolt is returned to door locking position while the coinis retained within the lock mechanism, and an obstruction is moved toposition to block or prevent the deposit of an additonalcoin therein. Inthis View the positions of the parts are such that the door is ready tobe locked and the coin passage blocked.

Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

When the door is shut, the coin is deposited in a receptacle, and in thefinal step or unlocking it from the inside, as by manipulating the innerknob, the obstruction is removed from the coin passage. The parts willthen return to the substantial positions illustrated in Figure 1.

,An emergency means (not shown) may be provided for unlocking the lockfrom the outside by means of a special key and without the use of acoin.

I will now proceed to describe in detail the embodiment of my inventionillustrated in the accompanying drawing,

A suitable casing l is provided to enclose the operating mechanism andis formed along one side with a coin receiver 2 having a slot 3 throughwhich the coin 4 enters the lock. The casing I has an opening on oneside to receive a removably fixed plate 5 which preferably is screwed tothe casing as at 6 and carries certain of the lock mechanism.

The lock bolt 1 is mounted to slide transversely- 15 within the casingand is projected, as shown in the device herein illustrated, to theright by means of a spring 8 which is compressible between the portion 9of the bolt and a stop in secured to the plate 5. As seen in Figure 5 onthe line- 55 of Figure 1, the bolt is provided with an elongated slotII, at the rear end of which is formed an arcuate groove l2 forreceiving a portion of the circumference of the coin 4. The slot II islong enough so that under certain conditions andwhen the coin 4 isreleased, it will be permitted to fall through the slot II and into thebottom of the casing I.

The bolt is also provided with an inward bearing projection I3 whichslides along the guide 7 l4 on the plate 5.

This projection is engageable by an arm l5 which is operable by means ofa knob I6 on the back of the look. A stop I! is carried by the plate 5to limit the swing of the arm [5 in one direc: tion, whereas its limitof motion in the opposite direction is limi ed by the abutm nt of thestop member l8 on the bolt with the stop Ill or by full compression ofthe spring 8.

The knob I9 is located on the outside of the lock, that is, its frontface, and is keyed to a shaft 2|] and a rocker arm 2| by means of ascrew 22. The lower end of the rocker arm op erates against a stop 23and is normally pulled to the left in Figure 4 by means of the tensionspring 24 carried by the plate 5 at 25, The rocker arm also employs anarm 26 which projects up wardly and terminates in a head portion 2:!hav-. ing an arcuate groove 28 formed on its left hand edge. The purpose013 this groove is to guide and 50 receive a portion of thecircumference of the coin 4 as shown.

I have also provided a slida'ble member 29 which has portionscooperating with portions of the bolt and the head 21 otthearm 26 sothat these '55 'passagewayof the receiver 2.

parts will move in unison in one direction when a coin is dropped intothe receiver 2.

The slide 29 comprises preferably a rectangular body having indicia onits forward face such as the words Vacant and In use and is arranged sothat the proper indicia will be displayed through the Window 30 in thecasing as the lock is being used.

The slide 29 is provided With'a projection or guide 3| which operates inthe groove or recess 32 in the plate and is provided with a slotted coinpassage 33 which lies directly under the coin slot in the coin receiver2. The slide 29 is also slotted at 34 to receive the arm 35 operable bythe inside shaft and knob I6 to return the slide to the right as inFigure 1.

If desired, the slide may have a link connection as at 36 with a counter31 which it operates to register the number of times the lock is putthrough its cycle of operation or, in other words, to register thenumber of coins which have passed through and operated the lockmechanism.

According to my invention, I have made a distinct improvement byproviding for means whereby when a coin has been placed in the lock andits cycle of operation has been started, the insertion of a subsequentcoin through the receiver 2 to the slide 29 is prevented until thecomplete cycle of operation of the lock is accomplished. In carrying outthis improvement I provide a coin rejector which preferably consists ofa member freely pivoted at M to operate in the This member is providedwith a straight side 42 which engages the top or one side of the slide29. When the slide is to the right as in Figure 1, the member 40 lies inthe position shown in'that figure and against the left hand side of theslide. 7

As the slide moves to the left, as in Figure 3, the flat side of themember 40 rides upon, and lies along the top of the slide 29. It is tobe noted that the upper portion of the member 40 is cam shaped orenlarged so that when the member is in the position shown in Figures 3and 4, its enlarged or head portion 43 is projected sufiiciently intothe slot 3 that it will prevent the passage of another coin through thisslot or passage. However, when the slide is to the right, as in Figure1, the enlarged head portion 43 of the member 40 is removed from theslot 3.

As will be seen from the drawing, the member 40 is freely pivoted andoperates'by gravity to remove its head from'the slot 3 when the slide 29is moved to the right.

I will now proceed to describe briefly the complete cycle of operationof the look as applied to the door of a private toilet, or the like.

The lock is assembled on the door so that the knob I9 will be located onthe outside of the door and of course the door frame will be providedwith the usual complementary bolt plate.

Figure 1 represents the lock thus applied to the door, and in this viewa coin 4 has been inserted in the slot 3 of the receiver. The coinpasses through the slot 3 unobstructed, and comes to rest in theposition indicated, that is, with part of its circumference resting inthe groove I2 and another part resting against the groove 28 of the arm26.

In this position, the coin lies partly within the slide 29 and partlywithin the bolt I and thus affords a driving connection between theslide and the bolt when the knob I9 is turned to throw the arm 26 to theleft in Figure 1.

As this arm is rotated to the left, the coin, the

slide, and the bolt are also moved to the left, and the door may beopened. Simultaneous with this movement of the parts, as illustrated inFigure 3, the member 40 is rotated to the position shown in Figure 3 toobstruct the slot 3 with its enlarged head 43, thus preventing theinsertion of another coin through the slot.

As the knob I9 is released, the parts will assume the positions shown inFigure 4, the slide 29 remaining at the left, and the bolt, coin, andarm 26 returning to the right by virtue of the action of the springs 8and 24. Now, as the door is closed, the bolt end engaging the bolt plate(not shown) in the door frame will be forced again to the leftmomentarily against the compression of the spring 8. This action willpermit the coin to be released by the arm 26 which under theseconditions remains to the right, and the coin will pass downwardlythrough the slot II of the bolt and will be deposited in the bottom ofthe casing I.

It will be noted that the door is now closed, the initial coin has beendeposited in the receptacle or casing, and the passage 3 is stillobstructed by the head 43 of the member 40.

When the door is to be opened from the inside by turning the knob I6,the bolt I is retracted by means of the arm I5 moving to the left inFigure 4 against the portion I3 of the bolt. At the same time the upperarm 35, likewise operated by the knob I6, is swung to the right againstthe right hand portion of the slide to move the slide to the right.

Movement of the slide to the right allows the freely pivoted member 40to assume the position shown in Figure 1 to remove the obstruction inthe slot 3. a

Thus the cycle of operation is complete and may be repeated in a likemanner by inserting another coin in the slot 3 after the door has beenclosed again.

Of course, it is understood that as the slide moves to the left, thecounter will register this action and likewise the Word Vacant in thewindow 39 will be replaced by the words In use". I Various changes inthe details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A coin lock comprising a housing having a coin recelving slottherein, a bolt slidable in said housing and spaced below said slot,said bolt having an elongated slot therein terminating at one end in acoin seat, a slide operable in the space between said coin receivingslot in the housing and said bolt, said slide having an opening thereinto pass a coin from the receiving slot to the said coin seat in the boltslot when the slide is in one extreme limit of movement, said coin seatbeing arranged to support a coin in the bolt so that the upper portionof the coin will project into the opening of the slide, a bolt operatinglever in said bolt slot and operable to engage a coin supported in saidcoin seat and projecting into said slide opening, to. slide said boltand said slide simultaneously in one direction, means for releasing saidcoin from said bolt when the bolt is moved in the opposite direction,and a coin rejector comprising a loosely hung member pivotally supportedin said housing, near said coin receiving slot and normally depending inthe path of movement of said slide when the slide is in coin receivingposition, said rejector having a portion projecting into said coinreceiving slot to block the same when said slide is moved toward itsopposite limit of movement.

2. A coin lock comprising a housing having a coin receiving slottherein, a coin rejector operable in said slot, a slidable bolt, aslidable member between said bolt and said slot, said bolt and slidablemember having communicating passages to receive a coin from the saidslot, means to trap a coin between said bolt and slidable member, a,member pivotally operable to engage a coin trapped therein to move saidbolt and slide as a unit in one direction, said coin rejeotor comprisinga member loosely pivoted in the housing near said slot, said rejeotorbeing operable by said slide to block said coin receiving slot when saidslide has been so moved.

ADOLPH WUNDERLICH.

